UnitedHealth Group Participates in a National Conversation on Improving Mental Wellness for Service Members, Veterans and Their Families
Published September 15, 2015
Published September 15, 2015
In September 2015, Optum, UnitedHealthcare and UnitedHealth Group officials participated in the Military Officers Association of America 2015 Warrior-Family Symposium in Washington, D.C. The event, sponsored by UnitedHealth Group, focused on how government and non-government organizations are aligning to improve mental wellness for service members, veterans, and their families. Attendees included mental health leaders from the Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), academia, and the private sector.
Optum's Jerry Sullivan, Psy.D., general manager, Medicare and Federal Channels, Behavioral Solutions, participated on a panel focused on how the private sector can contribute to the delivery of quality mental health care for warrior-family needs. In his keynote remarks, U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA), chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, noted that while the VA is making progress toward a goal of providing seamless services to veterans, more needs to be done to empower the private sector to serve veterans in partnership with the VA. Additionally, VA Secretary Robert McDonald provided closing remarks, in which he outlined the progress being made by the Department to increase access to care, decrease the backlog of disability claims, and decrease veterans' homelessness.